The invention relates to the technical field of devices, which may or may not be modular, used to connect and interconnect electrical cables for the distribution of power or of data, or even both. The invention also relates to the field of devices used to provide the same functions within the context of using optical fibers.
Description of the Prior Art
In the above fields, it is known to use modular assemblies such as junction blocks, terminal blocks, connectors or the like. Generally, these devices belong to the same range of elements providing elementary functions and components which can be arranged with each other in various configurations depending on the needs of the final user.
There is therefore a need to have means available to assemble various constituent elements of the product range together, offering considerable simplicity of use combined with high reliability, and even strength, in the completed assemblies.
Utility model DE-94 19 336 has thus proposed a system for fastening a handle and a multipoint male connector together. According to this document, the handle has a series of serrations intended to snap-fasten into complementary housings of the connector. Such a fastening system effectively enables the handle and the connector to be assembled quickly but however has the drawback of not possessing great stiffness and of not being dismantleable.
There therefore appears to be a need to have a new fastening system available which, on the one hand, allows fast assembly and on the other hand, offers guarantees of reliability needed with regard to the actual operation of the plant produced by means of the aforementioned devices and, moreover, allows easy dismantling, if necessary, of the assembly produced by means of the fastening system.
In order to comply with these objectives, the aim of the invention is a system for fastening together two constituent elements of an electrical connection assembly of the tenon and mortise type, which comprises:
male fastener which includes:
at least one tenon having a longitudinal axis and provided with a free end called an engagement end, and
a locking rib located at a distance from the tenon, away from the engagement end and oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis, that projects from a fastening face;
female fastener, complementary to the male fastener, having in a fastening face:
at least one mortise intended to accommodate the tenon,
an engagement cavity in which the mortise opens out at an engagement face and which has dimensions large enough to allow the tenon to be inserted into the mortise, and
a locking end stop intended to cooperate with the locking rib when the tenon is completely engaged in the mortise in order to provide an obstacle to relative sliding between the tenon and the mortise.
The use of a tenon and mortise fastening means associated with locking means makes it possible, in a very advantageous manner, to obtain an assembly which is easy to produce without tooling and offers good guarantees of mechanical integrity.
Furthermore, the locking provided by the rib on which the locking end stop bears enables easy dismantling of the fastening system without using special tooling.
According to the invention, the male fastening means may comprise one, two or even more tenons placed in parallel, while the female fastening means comprise as many mortises in parallel as the male means have tenons.
Where the male means or the female means have several tenons or mortises, it should be noted that the tenon and mortise assembly is not necessarily produced on or made in a single part but may result from the juxtaposition of several different elements, each one having one or more tenons or mortises.
Thus, all sorts of configurations are possible such as, for example but not exclusively, the case where a component would comprise a plurality of tenons, each of which then being linked with a complementary component comprising a single mortise.
According to another characteristic of the invention, in order to reinforce the reliability of the locking, the male fastening means comprise a rib called a support rib, which lies transversely to the axis X-Xxe2x80x2 at a distance from the fastening rib and which defines a support, for the engagement face, of the mortise when the tenon is completely engaged in the mortise.
According to yet another characteristic of the invention, in order to reinforce the buckling resistance of the tenons and of the fastening face bearing the latter, each tenon preferably has a T-shaped cross section. Of course, the mortises and the female fastening means then have a complementary shape.
According to another characteristic of the invention, in order to facilitate the dismantling of the fastening system, the engagement cavity is open laterally so as to allow a tool to be inserted between the fastening faces constituting the male and female fastening means, in the fastened position. Thus, the lateral opening of the engagement cavity offers the possibility of introducing the blade of a screwdriver which makes it possible to exert a force in the direction of a relative separation in order to free the locking end stop from its engagement with the locking rib.
The aim of the invention is also various types of connection components using the male and/or female fastening means of the fastening system according to the invention.